Temple consecrated in Annovka, Rivne Diocese, to replace the seized one

Temple in honor of the Monks Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves in Annovka village. Photo: video screenshot from TV media group Facebook page

On January 3, 2021, in the village of Annovka, Korets district, Rivne region, the UOC temple was consecrated in honor of the Monks Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves, which the believers built after the raiders from the OCU had taken over the St. John the Theologian temple in the village of Kopytov. Live broadcast from the scene was conducted on the TV media group Facebook page.

The rite of the great consecration of the church and the Divine Liturgy were led by Metropolitan Anthony (Pakanich) of Boryspil and Brovary, Chancellor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, concelebrated by Bishop Pimen (Voyat) of Dubno, vicar of the Rivne diocese, and Bishop Ambrosy (Vaynagiy), vicar of the Boryspil diocese, as well as the clergy of the Rivne Diocese.

Metropolitan Bartholomew of Rivne and Ostrog prayed during the liturgy, the press service of the Rivne Diocese reports.

Recall that until 2019, the village of Annovka was assigned to the St. John the Theological parish of the UOC in the village of Kopytov. On April 13, 2019, OCU activists, with the support of the SBU and the police, seized the church of St. John the Theologian. During the raider attack, they brutally beat the rector of the church and his parishioners, after which one believer was hospitalized, while the rector was taken to hospital by ambulance.

The construction of the temple in Annovka began in early June 2020, on the land plot of the current head Nikolai Gavriliuk. The money was raised by the entire Orthodox community.

On September 15, 2020, on the day of commemoration of the Monks Anthony and Theodosius of Kyiv-Pechersk, the first liturgy was celebrated in a new church of the UOC community in the village of Annovka, which was officiated by Bishop Pimen of Dubno.

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